what best to feed ramshorn snails instead of the plants in my tank?

Howdy,

Even though red ramshorns are supposed to be more plant friendly than the
orange ones, 50 of them still reak havoc on many plant species since my
original pair started to make like they were on the Discovery Channel.

I have since moved them to a little covered tank with an over-the-side
filter away from my planted tank.

My question - what diet will get them grown and healthy the fastest so I can
trade them back at the pet store?

They like fish food, but I'm looking for a cheap alternative.

Any scientist types who have specific knowledge of %protein, %carbs, etc?

BTW, here's one thing that didn't work; they seemed especially fond of
ceropteris in the big tank, so I tossed all the surplus into their tank when
I did my pruning. They continued eating it, but it may have not been
nutritionally adequate. I had about 40% mortality in a few months.

They gobble up whole wheat bread crust and apple cores, but I have no clue
if that is nutritious.

There are lots of (chicken) egg shells in the tank for calcium or whatever
both shells are probably made of.

Regards,
Keith Loyd

I'm not a scientist and, unfortunately, I can't give you a
comprehensive explanation of nutritional stats, but I've had good luck
feeding snails on fresh romaine lettuce and spinach. Wash the greens
thoroughly before feeding to minimize pesticides and use a suction-cup
type lettuce clip to keep it stationary, or weigh it down on the
bottom with a rock. If the snails have a hard time eating it....
throw the leaves in the freezer for 10-20 minutes... this will soften
them up considerably and make them more palatable. Only dark, leafy
greens will do.... lighter ones like Iceburg lettuce are almost void
of nutrients and would just be empty roughage in your snail's diet. I
would still supplement their diet at least once a week with fish food
or a spirulina or kelp-based sinking pellet/disc. Oh, and I would cut
out feeding them things like apples and bread crusts especially...
your high mortality rate may be due to these foods. The proteins
released from the chicken shells' inside coating may also be breaking
down into phosphates & other pollutants which indirectly affect the
biological balance of your tank and may be responsible for killing
them.... a much easier and safer source of calcium would maybe be a
few clean seashells or a handful of crushed coral in a mesh bag (these
items available at most pet stores). Although be cautioned, these
items may raise your Ph and general hardness (if it happens slowly,
this shouldn't be an issue). Good luck in your snail-keeping.